Pachauri admits mistake in IPCC report; Rules out resignation

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) chairman R K Pachauri today termed as a "human error" the findings in its report about melting of Himalayan glaciers, but ruled out his resignation on the issue.

Pachauri, who is under attack from various quarters over the IPCC's 2007 report that said the glaciers in the Himalayas will disappear by 2035 due to global warming, said the mistake was "unfortunate".

"I have no intention to of resigning from my position. I have a task. I am going to complete the Fifth Assessment Report," he told reporters here. Pachauri said the IPCC is a body of hundreds of eminent scientists selected and nominated by different governments.

"There are huge problems on climate change. Climate change is not limited to Himalayan glaciers. Rational people will continue to repose faith in IPCC," he said. The IPCC chief said the Fourth Assessment Report of the Panel was a "robust report" but the error with regard to the conclusion on Himalayan glaciers was "unfortunate".

"This was a human error. We will do everything to see that such mistakes are not repeated," he said. Pachauri said the IPCC will not take action against any of the authors of the report. "We have no right to take any action against any author. They are not employees of IPCC," he said.

The IPCC is under fire for having included in its 2007 report -- without proper peer review -- an assertion that glaciers in the Himalayas will disappear by 2035 due to global warming. It had retracted the statement just three days back.

Researcher Murari Lal was in-charge of editing the chapter on glaciers in the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC and had based the controversial finding on a media interview of glaciologist S I Hasnain.

Pachauri said IPCC is utilising the Noble Peace Prize money for starting a cadre of scientists in different developing countries who would assess the problem of climate change in their respective regions.